Babysitting
by UESGRL17
Summary: A series of one-shots featuring Uchiha Itachi babysitting the Hyuuga Heiress.
1. Hyuuga Gardens

Summary: A series of one-shots featuring Uchiha Itachi babysitting the Hyuuga Heiress.

* * *

Seven year old Uchiha Itachi sat in the gardens of the Hyuuga Estate with the Hyuuga heiress.

His father and Hiashi-sama were discussing clan matters while his mother and Nadeshiko-sama were drinking tea and having polite conversation inside.

Somehow, Itachi, who was only recently turned seven years old and promoted to Chunin last week, got stuck babysitting the two year old Hyuuga heiress while Sasuke went to their grandmother's house.

"Uh," Hinata attempted to begin a conversation, "Ano, Uchi-Uchiha-sama?"

She was only a few months younger than Sasuke and he knew that children should be treated kindly just as the elderly should be treated with care.

Itachi gave a gentle smile to the heiress and said, "Call me Itachi."

"It-Itachi-san," Hinata stuttered slightly, trying out the name, he noticed that it seemed to be involuntary,"Wha-what do you like to do?"

Itachi paused, it was a harmless question, before he said, "I like history and spending time with Sasuke, my otouto."

"What's history?" Hinata whispered the question, she'd never heard the word before.

Itachi paused again, wondering how to best phrase his answer, "It's a record of events passed, Hyuuga-san."

"Oh," Hinata said, tilting her head towards the right a bit, "You can call me Hinata."

Itachi's lips quirked upwards, as expected from the Hyuuga, she had mannerisms ingrained in her even at the tender age of two years old.

Sasuke, of course, didn't have that, manners that is, though his mother was beginning to teach him.

"What do you like to do?" Itachi asked in a friendly manner, "Hinata-san."

"I like pressing flowers and taking walks," Hinata replied in a cheerful manner.

She didn't take walks often, but on rare occasions, her parents would take her out and she loved it when her father carried her and her mother's wide eyed smiles.

"Sasuke also likes taking walks," Itachi replied evenly.

Itachi noted that aside from her occasional stutter, she had a well developed speech for a two year old, her speech was more developed than Sasuke's.


	2. Aburame Birthday party

**Summary:** A series of one-shots featuring Uchiha Itachi babysitting the Hyuuga Heiress.

* * *

It was Aburame Shino's third birthday party and once again Sasuke wasn't allowed to come.

Itachi, somehow, got stuck with babysitting along with Aburame Torune.

This time, he was to "play" with three children: The birthday boy, two year old Akimichi Choji, and two year old Hyuuga Hinata.

The Aburame, though standing unusually among the middle of the children, practically went unnoticed.

"Hap-Happy Birthday, Aburame-san," Hinata stuttered first with a kind smile.

"Arigato, Hyuuga-san," Shino said, "Nazenara? When one wishes you well, you thank them."

Hinata blinked slowly and said, "Oh, okay?"

There was a pregnant before Choji said, "Happy birthday."

"Arigato, Akimichi-san," Shino said but not explaining again, he loathed to explain things twice.

"Call me Choji," Choji said.

"Ca-call me Hinata," Hinata whispered loudly.

"You may call me Itachi," Itachi tossed in boredly, he congratulated the Aburame when he and his parents entered the Aburame Compound.

"Alright, you guys can call me Shino," Shino replied in his usual way, "Nazenara? It's common courtesy."

Torune sweat-dropped quietly next to Shino, the boy had the habit of nitpicking and justifying his own speech at the tender age of three.

"What's there to eat?" Choji asked loudly.

The three, though unfailingly polite, already had their personality quirks, Itachi noted quickly.

Hinata had her stutter, Shino nitpicked speech, and Choji seemed to always be hungry.

Pride swelled in Itachi, Sasuke had none of these personality quirks.

* * *

**Translation:**

_Arigato_ \- "Thank you"

_Nazenara_ \- "because" or "Why is that?"


	3. Stalker

Summary: A series of one-shots featuring Uchiha Itachi babysitting the Hyuuga Heiress.

* * *

It was a particularly pleasant day in Konoha.

The sun was shining and although the weather was a tad warmer than usual, Konoha was particularly breezy today.

Uchiha Itachi, clad in his ANBU gear, and porcelain mask was silent and unnoticeable as he tailed Uzumaki Naruto.

After a particularly nasty incident which Itachi didn't like to recall, surveillance of Naruto became an occasional side duty of ANBU.

Especially following up a few days after the rare mob incidences.

This was the third time a mob attempted to bring harm to eight year old Uzumaki Naruto.

While neither he nor his parents shunned the Jinchuriki, neither did they actively seek the boy out for friendship, though there was a time he remembered his mother being friends with the Kyuubi Jinchuriki, Uzumaki Kushina.

However, those were days of the past, before the village began alienating the Uchiha, they were suspicious of his clan after the Kyuubi attack and then rumors of the Sharingan being able to control Bijuu began to surface.

Talks of a coup d'état were starting to begin forming during the clan meeting rooms.

Back to the situation at hand:

Uzumaki Naruto exited the academy with a distinct frown.

Itachi had watched the boy in class and wasn't particularly happy to note that the boy had the penchant for rabble rousing and aggravating and baiting Sasuke.

He was slightly annoyed that Sasuke rised to Naruto's bait and made a note to work on Sasuke's temper when he had free time.

The orange clad ninja mumbled complaints about Sasuke as he walked to his own apartment.

Eventually, Itachi noticed a suspiciously short shadow behind an electricity pole and decided to check up on it discreetly.

Before his eyes was a red faced Hyuuga Hinata who seemed to be tailing after Uzumaki Naruto.

Itachi frowned and wondered what business she had to follow the loud mouthed blonde, especially so "secretively."

After the blonde got home, Itachi paid note to Hinata who paced to Naruto's apartment door, before turning a brighter shade of red (if that were possible) before running back to her hiding place behind the electricity pole.

It was almost cute how painfully shy she was.

Itachi, however, was also slightly creeped out about how her infatuation of Naruto seemed to be nearing stalkerish.

At sunset, a man called Ko had arrived and took Hinata home and Itachi switched shifts with another ANBU operative who had a distinctive shade of silver hair.


	4. Grudge

**Summary:** A series of one-shots featuring Uchiha Itachi babysitting the Hyuuga Heiress.

* * *

Hyuuga Neji didn't like the Uchiha brothers one bit.

Hyuuga Neji, once upon a time (three weeks ago) had resented Hinata for years since her third birthday party.

Hyuuga Hizashi, Neji's father, was bringing Hinata back to her room after she said she was tired from all the festivities and wanted to sleep, falling asleep in her uncle's arms as he brought young Hinata home.

During that time, an attempted kidnapping occurred and although his father was able to eliminate the kidnappers, he sustained fatal wounds.

Hyuuga Neji didn't hold a grudge at Hinata in particular, after all, she was three years old and had only received her first formal lesson that day, but more so his anger was directed at the main family.

Why was his father alone, shouldn't Hinata-sama have more body guards as heiress? How was the Hyuuga Compound's security so lax that kidnappers could enter at all?

More than anything, Neji resented the main family for the death of his father which still stung this day.

Uchiha Itachi, who was 4 years older than him and famous for reaching ANBU by the age of 13, was walking seven year old Hinata-sama home.

The next day, Neji watched Hinata talk in a seemingly civil manner with Uchiha Sasuke who was notorious for having the majority of females in his class as fangirls (thankfully, Hyuugas simply do **not** fangirl about anything.)

Latter that same day, Neji confronted the younger Uchiha and he said that Hinata-sama was "sorta not ugly."

Today however, somehow, Neji, Sasuke, and Hinata were all sitting on the couch while Itachi babysat them.

"Why am I here?" Neji, through a slip of control wondered aloud.

"As you know, historically, the Uchiha and Hyuuga do not get along," Itachi said, "So my father and Hiashi-sama are discussing inter-clan peace talks."

Neji frowned and tried again, "But why am _I_ here?"

"We figured Hinata-san would be more comfortable with someone she knew around her age and Hanabi-san is still a todler," Itachi elaborated.

Hyuuga Hanabi had yet to reach two years of age and while she had a small vocabulary and had yet to form full sentence speeches, was a bright child.

Neji deepened his frowned and sarcastically said, "It's good to know my company is above that of a toddler to you."

"Hn," Sasuke, (who had been sulking up till now) grunted.

"Hmp," Neji turned the other way.

He heard Hinata give a slight chuckle and Neji narrowed his eyes instantaneously.

Hyuuga Neji decided that he hated the Uchiha brothers.


	5. Stop talking

**Summary:** A series of one-shots featuring Uchiha Itachi babysitting the Hyuuga Heiress.

* * *

Setting: Ages reversed

* * *

10 year old Hyuuga Hinata smiled kindly at 5 year old Uchiha Itachi who stared curiously at the older woman.

"Itachi-san," Hinata said, her voice a deep whisper, "I-I'm going to look after you for a few hours, do you know why?"

Itachi, who was top of his class at the Academy, nodded and simply said, "Mom went to the hospital to have the baby."

"Tha-That's right, and the process will probably take a few hours," Hinata furthered, "Aft-afterwards, I'll take you to the hospital to meet your new little brother o-or sister."

Itachi blinked, not feeling the need to continue this conversation, merely noting her stutter.

After the awkward pause, Hinata began to talk again, "You know, I have a little sister your age."

"Hn," Itachi said.

"Hyuuga Hanabi, sh-she should be in your class," Hinata said timidly, she rarely initiated conversation.

"Please stop talking," Itachi said nonchalantly.

"Okay," Hinata said before they turned silent.

Only half an hour latter Uchiha Fugaku burst into the house and said, "Thank you watching Itachi, I'll be taking him to the hospital now, I hope he wasn't any trouble."

"Oh not aa-at all," Hinata said, "I was just pas-sing by the street when Mikoto-sama went into labor and recognized me. Itachi and I didn't do much at all."

"Hn," Fugaku said before taking Itachi's hand and said, "We'll be taking our leave then."


	6. You may leave now

**Summary:** A series of one-shots featuring Uchiha Itachi babysitting the Hyuuga Heiress.

* * *

Crunch-splash.

Hyuuga Hinata's rain boots smacked against the muddy gravel as she made her way to the shelter under the gazebo.

Breathing heavily, Hinata clutched her upturned umbrella as she took a seat and shuddered as a harsh wind blew and the gazebo creaked from the sheer force of the wind.

Looking up from the ground and her sorry excuse for an umbrella, Hinata met the gaze of Uchiha Itachi before she flinched. A better ninja would have noticed him there much earlier than she just did.

"Go-good afternoon Uchiha-san," Hinata greeted.

"I find that difficult to be true," Itachi replied as another large gust of wind shook the gazebo.

Though her teeth were chattering due to the cold, Hinata gave a warm smile.

Finding her hands much more interesting, Hinata bent a few fingers and commented in a blase manner, "I'm soaked to the bone."

Itachi stared down at the Hyuuga, then at her upturned umbrella.

A silent moment passed before he walked over and righted her umbrella.

"Than-" Hinata said before she was cut off by Itachi.

"You may leave now," Itachi said, coal eyes looking down at the Hyuuga's lavender eyes.

"Oh," Hinata commented blandly.


	7. Teach me

**Summary:** A series of one-shots featuring Uchiha Itachi babysitting the Hyuuga Heiress.

* * *

Itachi sat in the middle between Sasuke and Hinata.

After his mother invited Hinata and her mother to their house for "tea," his mother and Nadeshiko-sama (Hinata's mother) went into another room and started coddling at the sleeping Hanabi.

He knew that his mother was hoping that Sasuke would be a girl, and adored little girls, so he her go on and pretend she had a daughter while he watched over 5 year old Sasuke and 4 year old Hinata.

Which led to this awkward mess: Hinata was a bright shade of red and poking her index fingers in a nervous habit and Sasuke was muttering about how stupid and loud girls were and how he didn't want to hang out around them.

Itachi sighed before attempting to right the situation.

"Sasuke, stop muttering, it's unbecoming," Itachi said before turning to Hinata, "Hyuuga-san, there is no need to be so nervous, we are perfectly civil, isn't that right Sasuke?"

Sasuke mumbled something that sounded like a yes, but after quickly noticing Itachi's stern gaze, he righted his almost slouching position and said, "Yes! We are civil!"

Itachi then directed his gaze back to Hinata.

Acutely aware of the attention, Hinata immediately stopped her finger pointing but stuttered in a squeak, "I-I'm sor-ry."

"What's this?" Shisui's playful voice said, "You to are bullying a little girl? I'm ashamed of you two."

Hinata flinched, she hadn't noticed his entrance. Sasuke's lips twitched upward, it wasn't a girl! Itachi grinned at his best friend.

"Shisui," Itachi began, "You don't usually teleport into the room."

"You can teleport?" Sasuke said in an excited manner, "Teach me."

Hinata turned a brighter shade of red and went back to poking her fingers causing Itachi to wonder how long it would take the Hyuuga to rid here of that nervous habit.

"The Hokage let me have some time off," Shisui explained, "So I decided to hang out with you guys... and girl... Ano, who are you?"

"Hyuuga Hinata," Hinata whispered before loud laughter erupted in the other room.

_"I swear, he really did," Mikoto said before bursting in laughter again._

_"And then what happened afterwards?" Nadeshiko's voice was raised an octave with excitement._

"Why don't we go outside?" Shisui suggested.

Itachi shrugged while Sasuke then excitedly asked again, "Ne, then you'll teach me that jutsu?"

"Ano," Hinata began, "Should-shouldn't we let _Hahaue_ know that we're leaving?"

Since Mikoto was in such high spirit, Shisui didn't feel like interrupting so he suggested, "How about we play Shogi?"

There was a chorus of agreement before a board was set up. Itachi vs. Shisui.

Shisui had on a face of focus, pondering what to make his next move, the odds were stacked against him.

"A-ano, Shisui-kun," Hinata whispered.

"Yes?" Shisui looked up from the board, he could feel Itachi's smugness radiating since it was Shisui who suggested the game.

"I-I have a suggestion," Hinata stuttered before becoming more red and then whispering instructions to Shisui.

10 moves later.

Itachi's eyebrow twitched in irritation at the sudden change of events Shisui had somehow now got the upper hand.

"High five," Shisui said to the blushing Hinata before they did a high five.

"Nii-san," Sasuke said with a large grin, "I have a suggestion."

Itachi looked up and let Sasuke come over to whisper something, he was genuinely curious as to what his brother was going to suggest.

"After you lose this game, we'll go to the training ground and you'll teach me a new shiruken jutsu," Sasuke whispered.

Itachi poked Sasuke's forehead sending the boy to stumble back, "Foolish little brother."

Sasuke frowned and then looked at Shisui, "Want to teach me a jutsu after you win this game?"

Shisui paused before saying, "Sure."

Itachi frowned at Shisui as Hinata began to giggle behind her hand.


	8. Class Project

Summary: A series of one-shots featuring Uchiha Itachi babysitting the Hyuuga Heiress.

* * *

Hyuuga Hinata stood in the middle of the living room while Sasuke worked on "their" project.

Hinata and Sasuke had been assigned partners by Iruka in class, much to Sasuke's displeasure.

"Hinata, Sasuke, I've brought snacks," Mikoto called as she set down two plates, one with cookies, the other with recently washed tomatos.

Hinata found it odd that Mikoto would set tomatos as a snack until she saw Sasuke grab a tomato.

_So that's who they're for,_ Hinata thought before uttering, "Tha-thank you Mikoto-san."

Mikoto gave a chuckle before teasing, "How come you don't say thank you, Sasuke?"

"Huh?" Sasuke said, looking up before redirecting his gaze at the poster his ears gaining a slightly pink tinge, "Thank you."

"No need," Mikoto chuckled lightly, "If you need any help, I'll be in the kitchen."

Itachi, returning from a short ANBU mission, removed his outdoors shoes as he called out, "Tadaima."

"Okaeri," Hinata said as an automatic response before she remembered she was in someone else's house.

After quickly slipping on his slippers, Itachi paused at the living room noting the strange girl and his brother.

Horrified, Hinata turned a bright shade of red (which Sasuke secretly noted made her resemble the tomatos he loved so much) and began the nervous habit of poking her index fingers while looking downward.

"Itachi," Sasuke said looking up fondly at his brother, "Wanna help me on this project?"

Itachi gave a chuckle before he made a gesture for Sasuke to come over.

Wondering why his brother would want him to walk over, Sasuke jogged across the room to Itachi who poked Sasuke on the forehead once he was in arm's reach.

"Foolish little brother," Itachi said fondly, "You should ask your partner for help before you ask me."

Nonetheless, somehow, Itachi and Sasuke each ended up doing 40% of the work, and Hinata ended up doing 20%.

Hinata now knew why Shikamaru didn't complain when he was paired off with Sasuke in class projects.

* * *

**Translation:**

_Tadaima_ \- I'm home.

_Okaeri_ \- Welcome back


	9. Are you showing concern?

Summary: A series of one-shots featuring Uchiha Itachi babysitting the Hyuuga Heiress.

* * *

The Hyuuga all wore plain black kimono and yukata to the funeral of Hyuuga Youko.

Hyuuga Youko was not only Hiashi and Hizashi's mother, but also the previous Hyuuga Clan Head, in her lifetime, she fought in the first and second Shinobi World Wars and was the third female Hyuuga leader. Her connections were vast and spanned beyond the borders of _Hi no Kuni_.

Like all children born to rule the Hyuuga, Youko's name contained reference to the Sun, "Child of the Sun."

Hiashi's name meant "Position of the Sun," or "Day time" depending on the translator, and Hinata's name was synonymous with Hyuuga, "Place in the Sun."

All high ranking officials and Clan Leaders were present at the funeral and even the Daimyo of _Cha no Kuni _and_ Hi no Kuni_.

As it was such an occasion, even Uchiha Itachi wouldn't claim ANBU duties to skip out on the funeral.

Currently, Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Mikoto were having polite talk with the Daimyo of _Hi no Kuni_ and scheduling time to talk about matters concerning the Uchiha Clan at a later date.

Itachi then noticed the Hyuuga Heiress.

Unlike other times he's seen the girl, she wasn't blushing, stammering, nervously poking her fingers, or even crying (in fact, he hadn't seen any Hyuuga cry, let alone tear up).

This was quite a surprise, considering the boy standing next to her usually boldly glared daggers at her, though admittedly he never outright showed disrespect to her, he simply glared and shunned.

Perking his interest enough, Itachi excused himself and walked over to the two Hyuuga and said, "My condolences on your loss."

"Tha-thank you for your concern and support at this time Uchiha-san," Hinata whispered.

"Hn," Neji replied.

"I go to class with your brother, Sasuke," Hinata said, slightly surprising the three of them due to her lack of stutter.

"Yes," Itachi said after a pause, "He is with my mother's mother."

"Well," Neji said, cutting off the conversation, "It was nice talking with you."

Itachi didn't pause at the dismissal and found it almost disrespectful... Hopefully the Hyuugas would correct that soon.

What Itachi didn't hear was Neji's next harsh whisper to Hinata, "Don't associate with the Uchihas."

"Neji-nii-san," Hinata whispered back, "Are you showing concern?"

"Hn," Neji reverted back to his icy persona.

Hinata fought back the joy, it was not proper to show happyness or glee at a funeral.

* * *

**Translation: **

_Hi no Kuni_ \- Fire Country or Land of Fire (Where Konoha is)

Daimyo - Feudal Lord

_Cha no Kuni_ \- Tea Country or Land of Tea


	10. Training tip

Summary: A series of one-shots featuring Uchiha Itachi babysitting the Hyuuga Heiress.

* * *

Hinata hit the training log in repetitive motions.

She preferred the public grounds as opposed to the Hyuuga Dojo.

At the Hyuuga Dojo, her typically unobtrusive family couldn't not sharpen their tongues and those who remained silent had had sharper disapproving eyes which Hinata couldn't seem to escape from with the Byakugan allowing a 360 view that could penetrate walls and bodies.

Thus led Hinata to search and find this training ground where few, let alone her family would venture.

Only Ko had cared enough to know of her secluded training place, and even then, she wasn't sure if he personally cared, or if it was just his sense of duty as her caretaker and never wanting to disappoint her father.

It was Hinata's sharp vision that allowed her to see Uchiha Itachi even though he was standing over 20 meters behind her.

Stopping mid stride, Hinata righted her posture and turned around slowly while deactivating her blood line limit.

"Uchiha-san," Hinata greeted with a bow.

Hinata's speech was a work in progress, she had the tendency to talk quicker than she thought and so her first words seemed to stumble as the lag time between what words her traitorous mouth was spewing and what coherent thought she decided to vocalize.

Hinata had been taught at a young age that not all thoughts and beliefs were meant to be expressed in public and occasionally with certain members of her clan. So Hinata struggled thinking between what she thought, and what would be proper and polite to say.

Her shyness never helped out in this respect, so Hinata appeared rather incompetent to her fellow clansmen and to certain critical villagers.

"Hyuuga-san," Itachi replied in greeting with a curt bow, it'd be rude to not bow back.

"I'm sor- I apologize for not greeting you sooner," Hinata said, "I was in the middle of training."

While Hinata's mind and body might not be as prodigious as the more elite members of her clan, her eyes saw better than them, she merely lacked their criticalness of bodily habits to judge as they did, she didn't like the being in the role to judge others so blatantly.

"Forgive me for interrupting your training session," Itachi said, "It's just that I usually train on these grounds."

Out of politeness, Hinata offered, "I-if you'd like, we can share the training grounds, I don't mind."

Itachi paused in thought before deciding to accept her offer before the two went off doing separate training.

After 2 hours passed, Hinata knew it was time to go home, she was drenched in her own sweat and the sun was beginning to set.

"You're right handed, correct?" Itachi asked, noticing Hinata was about to leave.

Hinata nodded, not trusting herself to not stutter, she'd forgotten about him as she deactivated her Byakugan a while back, as it was draining on her chakra network and she wanted to work on her physical strength.

He was in a simple black tank top but Hinata was able to see the subtle swell that indicated muscle, not noticeable to civilians but Hinata was from a Shinobi family that prided itself on sight, there was little her eyes didn't discern.

"Put more emphasis on your left," Itachi suggested before leaving the clearing.

It only took Hinata a couple of moments to decode his meaning.

Most ninja focus on their dominate side of body, but to have as much precision and strength in a ninja' non-dominate side would only be an asset, especially when facing right handed ninjas who were only used to fighting right handed ninja.


	11. What she hides under there

Summary: A series of one-shots featuring Uchiha Itachi babysitting the Hyuuga Heiress.

* * *

Uchiha Itachi had an unreadable but passive look on his face as he watched the former Hyuuga Heiress across the market place as he waited for his mother to finish grocery shopping.

Earlier he was spotted by fan girls causing him to give away to a slight chase before he rounded back to the same block but now waiting for his mother in on top of the roof.

Itachi would get down once his mother left the shop, simple as that, but his mother was taking her time in the store so he perched on top of the roof and settled for people watching.

Which led to him spotting the female Hyuuga as she noticed a box, and inside it, abandoned kittens, only a few weeks old.

He watched as she appeared to talk to the kittens before growing curious and strained his ears to hear what she was saying.

"I'll raise you two in secret," Hinata whispered to the kittens without stuttering.

Hinata then lowered the zipper of her beige jacket, reveling a smaller figure than he expected and placed the two kittens inside who didn't seem to object.

Hinata gave a smile before she looked left and right to make sure no one was looking before re-zipping her jacket and walking off to the Hyuuga Compound.

Itachi stared in astonishment, Hyuuga Hinata really was hiding animals under there, in specific, kittens.


End file.
